COTABATO CITY – A newly introduced bill in the Bangsamoro Parliament aims to help small farmers improve their crops, earn more from their harvests, and build sustainable livelihoods through community-based and value-chain farming programs.
Parliament Bill No. 432, principally authored by Member of Parliament Mohammad Kelie Antao, was read on first reading on Monday, Jan. 26.
The proposed Community-Based Agricultural Crop Enterprise Development Act of 2026 targets persistent challenges in BARMM agriculture, including fragmented land use, low productivity, limited market access, and vulnerability to climate change.
Antao said that the bill will group farmers into commodity clusters, provide training in modern and climate-smart farming methods, offer access to loans and grants, and connect them to local and national markets. The goal is to help farmers increase their harvests, stabilize income, and move from subsistence to profitable, community-managed farming.
The bill prioritizes marginalized smallholders, women, indigenous communities, and families affected by conflict, particularly those farming three hectares or less. Its broader goal is to enhance yields, stabilize incomes, and integrate small-scale agriculture into a climate-resilient, market-ready system.
It also calls for a Regional Agricultural Enterprise Development Council to coordinate farming programs among Bangsamoro ministries, local governments, cooperatives, and farmers’ associations.
Antao said that by improving production, strengthening market access, and promoting cooperative management, the bill could make farming more resilient to both climate and market challenges.
Initial funding would come from existing allocations in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR), with future support potentially included in the Bangsamoro Government’s annual budget. The bill was co-authored by MPs Suwaib Oranon, Tawakal Midtimbang, Mudjib Abu, Butch Malang, and Suharto Ambolodto. (PR)
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